- Joined
- Mar 6, 2016
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So I finished a middlegrade fantasy and subbed it. The revise/resub request I received was to age up the characters and emphasize the romance and darker elements. Which I'm cool with, as I was struggling with the MG restrictions anyway. I realized I was trying to stuff it into MG because that category just seems more open to new work.
As I rewrite the story from the ground up in YA, I do feel more comfortable, like everything that bothered me about the first version finally makes sense.
Now I'm afraid that this manuscript has morphed into a YA Paranormal Romance (Well, a fantasy adventure with PR elements). Afraid because I love PR concepts, but I'm not sure if I can pull the romance off convincingly. I need more guidance in this genre. And also afraid that PNR/ YA SFF is just much harder to get into.
So I ask:
What are the pitfalls of the genre in this year of our COVID, 2020? Tropes to avoid? Tropes you'd like to see more of? I mean, love triangles still aren't a thing, are they? Heck, is PNR still a thing? Should I categorize it as a Fantasy primarily, and PNR second?
What is it about PNR that makes your heart go, as the Japanese say, "doki-doki"- that fluttering fountain of feels when you read a particularly touching/ delicious scene of your characters interacting? Any particular scene types or characters?
What makes a convincing romance? Like, any dealbreakers between a human MC and a supernatural LI's interaction?
Lastly, I'm not as well-read in the genre as I should be. Book recs for the best the genre has to offer? I enjoyed 'Three Dark Crowns' and 'The Hunger Games.' Would enjoy books that have angst, darker elements (though not necessarily dystopia) and MC's with lots of moral ambiguity and/or PTSD. And FUNNY PNR- definitely bring on the funny.
...And any other thoughts you might have on the matter.
Thank you!
As I rewrite the story from the ground up in YA, I do feel more comfortable, like everything that bothered me about the first version finally makes sense.
Now I'm afraid that this manuscript has morphed into a YA Paranormal Romance (Well, a fantasy adventure with PR elements). Afraid because I love PR concepts, but I'm not sure if I can pull the romance off convincingly. I need more guidance in this genre. And also afraid that PNR/ YA SFF is just much harder to get into.
So I ask:
What are the pitfalls of the genre in this year of our COVID, 2020? Tropes to avoid? Tropes you'd like to see more of? I mean, love triangles still aren't a thing, are they? Heck, is PNR still a thing? Should I categorize it as a Fantasy primarily, and PNR second?
What is it about PNR that makes your heart go, as the Japanese say, "doki-doki"- that fluttering fountain of feels when you read a particularly touching/ delicious scene of your characters interacting? Any particular scene types or characters?
What makes a convincing romance? Like, any dealbreakers between a human MC and a supernatural LI's interaction?
Lastly, I'm not as well-read in the genre as I should be. Book recs for the best the genre has to offer? I enjoyed 'Three Dark Crowns' and 'The Hunger Games.' Would enjoy books that have angst, darker elements (though not necessarily dystopia) and MC's with lots of moral ambiguity and/or PTSD. And FUNNY PNR- definitely bring on the funny.
...And any other thoughts you might have on the matter.
Thank you!
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